John and Eloise Bergen

 

by Richard Long,

  Well it was an unforgettable night last evening.  We had the high honour of hearing the story of how God miraculously preserved the lives of John & Eloise Bergen when they were attacked by 5 machete-wielding Kenyans back in July.  It was riveting, gut-wrenching stuff.  Most amazing, was the ability they had to sense God’s presence in those horrifying moments, and experience the joy of the Lord in the traumatic hours and days following.

  This morning they did an interview on CTV’s Canada AM.  It was a powerful 5 minutes of giving Jesus glory and sharing the vision to return to touch the lives of the 2 million orphans in the land of Kenya. 

Here’s the link to the story …

Here’s the video of their interview with Seamus O’reilly …

What a priviledge it was for us to be able to pray with them last night and commit ourselves to ongoing intercession for their mission.  Maybe they will be in your area soon.  Check out their itinerary on their website – www.bergensmission.com.

Special Assignment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Richard Long,

  The Atlantic team is having a very full day.  This morning they took the tour of the Supreme Court and then Parliament Hill.  This afternoon they were at Rideau Hall, the home of the Governor General.  As they arrived they noticed all the TV camera trucks that were there to set up for tomorrow morning’s swearing in ceremony of the new Cabinet.

  We’ve been praying about this new cabinet for a couple of weeks now, so they took this opportunity as a divine assignment to do some extra prayer as they walked around on the official tour.  (the picture is the ceremony from 2006)

  Tonight we have some very special guests.  John and Eloise Bergen, the missionaries to Kenyan who were attacked earlier this year and barely survived, are staying with us for a few days and will be sharing their story.  They embody the power of forgiveness.  We will need an extra supply of Kleenex.

Atlantic Prayer Team

by Richard Long,

  This week’s visiting team, led by Wanda Fost, has a number of Newfoundlanders, plus someone from PEI, and from Nova Scotia, so they are real easterners.  These guys hit the ground running!  Their first 2 days have been jammed pack with prayer and worship.  Tomorrow they head for the Supreme Court first thing.

We gave them a real Ottawa welcome with an early snow storm this evening.

Are you checking out our other blogging site?  Our Nazarites write some really interesting stuff over at their dedicated blogsite.  Check it out at http://nazaritecall.wordpress.com.

Pastors Prayer Breakfasts

by Richard Long

  One of the highlights of our lives every month is the fourth Thursday.  That’s the day that we host the Mission Ottawa pastors’ prayer breakfast.  It seems that we always have just enough room and more than enough food. 

  This past week they invited two of our Nazarites to share their experience here at NHOP.  Jordan Mallard and Claire Iffla did an amazing job of presenting themselves and answering questions. 

  The pastors then went on to have their usual prayer time, pairing off to minister to one another.  We are always so encouraged when we see leaders walking together in unity.  On the weekend this was climaxed with the annual Gathering at the Scotia Bank Place as 4000 believers came together to worship and pray.  Our Nazarites spent a full day onsite doing pre-Gathering prayer as well as covering the whole event alongside the local team of intercessors.

Keeping our Prophetic Distance

by Richard Long,

I was reading a larger article by Don Walker on keeping a prophetic distance to the goverment when he used this quote from Brennan Manning’s Abba’s Child.  It is a really good reminder as we seek to pray for our own nation.

“Uncritical acceptance of any party line is an idolatrous abdication of one’s core identity as Abba’s child. Neither liberal fairy dust nor conservative hardball addresses human dignity, which is often dressed in rags. Abba’s children find a third option. They are guided by God’s Word and by it alone. All religious and political systems, Right and Left alike, are the work of human beings. Abba’s children will not sell their birthright for any mess of pottage, conservative or liberal. They hold fast to their freedom in Christ to live the gospel—uncontaminated by cultural dreck, political flotsam, and the filigreed hypocrisies of bullying religion.”

Prayer quotes from James Gilliom

by Richard Long

Here’s some great quotes about prayer for your weekend from James Gilliom…

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“Prayer is putting the lens of your soul on time exposure.” 

“Prayer is putting on earphones that shut out all noises but the voices of you and your God.” 

“Prayer is the recovery room after surgery and before recuperation. ”

“Prayer always has, along with its receptivity, four statements.  Thank You. I’m Sorry.  Teach Me.  Go with Me. “

“Prayer is the frame of the bridge from weeping to doing, built across the canyon of despair.”

Meeting M.P.’s

by Richard Long,

  We had a great highlight today.  The King’s Kids group that are here, whom we are now calling Team Canada, had the chance to meet with M.P. Steven Fletcher from Charleswood -St. James – Assiniboia.  So after a tour of Parliament we waited in the Rotunda for him to appear.

   Soon we heard a whirrrr and turned to see him speeding his way over to us in his motorized cart.  He had brought along a wonderful bonus.  He introduced us to his new colleague from Portage-Lisgar, a brand new M.P. named Candace Hoeppner .   They were very warm toward these 8-12 year olds and after answering questions and telling us a little about themselves,  a couple of the kids prayed amazing prayers over them.  We got the requisite pictures with both M.P.’s and some more quality moments before they had to leave.

  It is the “rookie” orientation week in Ottawa for all the brand new M.P.’s so we would encourage you to be praying for them as they find their way in this new political jungle.  Even the task of finding qualified staff to assist them in their Ottawa office is a brand new task and one that requires great wisdom.  I was pleased to find out that Candice Hoeppner already knew all about the National House of Prayer and I could assure her of our prayers for her settling in to her new role.

  By the way Steven Fletcher is one of my heroes.  As a quadrapalegic he outworks most of the rest of us.  He has such a postive approach to life and has already been made the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health.  Having heard his testimony I know that his faith is the most significant factor in his life.

King’s Kids at NHOP

by Richard Long,

   This week we are excited about hosting a group of children from different parts of Canada who have come as part of a King’s Kids initiative led by Carolyn Sadler from Winnipeg.  There are 17 on the team including adult chaperones. 

  Our Nazarites were really looking forward to having some younger faces around here.  It’s a critical week to have a prayer team here in Ottawa to join us in our intercession.  Much of the critical behind-the-scenes work is being done in preparation for the new parliament.  (See the blog over the last couple of days).  Fortuneately that means there are M.P.s in town and thus the King’s Kids team will have a chance to sit down with one of their local representatives.

More Post Election Prayers: Committee Selection

by Richard Long,

   As the M.P.’s begin to float back into Ottawa we continue to pray for how the new Parliament will be formatted.  Very crucial are the makeup of the many Parliamentary Committees.  Decisions will be made by all parties about who should sit on which committee.  There will be jockeying for key positions and eventually the selection of “chairs” for each one.

  If you followed the last Parliament you will know how dysfunctional some of these committees became over time.  Please be praying that a new atmosphere of cooperation will descend on these crucial teams.  Pray that the right people would be placed on each one during this 40th Parliament.

Post Election Prayers

by Richard Long,

   Now our real works starts!  As P.M. Stephen Harper listens to wise counsel, and considers the various leaders who were re-elected, he needs our prayers to choose his cabinet.  There were 26 ministers in the last Parliament.  Some will likely be given the same portfolio.  Others will be shuffled and there should be some new faces.  Also each cabinet minister usually has a deputy assistant who is learning the same portfolio and can answer questions if that minister is away.

  Let’s pray for this very critical decision process as it is made over the weekend.